News Mail: Workplace stress keeping you up at night?

ALMOST 40 per cent of Australian workers are dissatisfied with their sleep, according to the World Health Organization.

A workplace expert is urging workers to prioritise sleep on World Day for Safety and Health at Work today to minimise the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation in the workplace.

The WHO-supported day falls on a weekend this year, giving Australian workers a prime opportunity to reset the clock on any unhealthy sleep schedules.

HR think-tank Reventure's lead researcher, Dr Lindsay McMillan, said a survey of more than 1000 Australian workers showed 38 per cent were dissatisfied with their sleep patterns.

"More than one-third of Australian workers are dissatisfied with their sleep pattern and are more likely to also be dissatisfied with their physical well-being and their job," he said.

"Whether you work in an office or on a construction site, getting enough quality sleep is important to safety and overall health and well-being, so it is crucial that we make it a priority.

"With the rise and rise of mobile devices in the workplace, some workers are finding it hard to switch off from work, which can also undermine healthy sleep patterns." Dr McMillan said the changing nature of work also contributed to the loss of sleep for some workers. He said employers should not let work interrupt their rest.